White Balance ~ Canon A720

[cowdog77]

Been shooting with just UW settings.

How do I go about setting white balance during a dive?

 

[WetEar]

A couple of options.

One is to set the print button to be your white-balance button. Then just point the camera at something white (like white sand, or a white slate, or whatever) & press the print button.

Another is to install CHDK & shoot RAW images. Then you can white-balance the photos later, at the comfort of your computer. Lots of programs can do it, picasa is free.

 

[shawrg]

I pulled out my A720 and manual to refresh my memory on the white balance. The manual provides directions that I will try to summarize.

1. select the evaluate white balance. (toggle through the function set and arrow buttons.)
2. Aim camera at white paper or cloth.
3. Press function set button.

However, I set white balance underwater by aiming at the sand or my slate. Then, instead of the function set, I press the display button. The screen goes black and the camera then beeps at me (but I only hear that without the WP case.

I have been meaning to contact canon to ask about the discrepant directions. Maybe someone on the board with more smarts than me could speak up as I have reached the limits of my photo knowledge!

 

[cowdog77]

Good tips....I'll see if I can make them work.
Much appreciated.

 

[shawrg]

Cowdog,
Sorry, I screwed up the summary. it should read:
1. select the evaluate white balance. (toggle through the function set button.)
2. Aim camera at white paper or cloth I left this step out => and press menu.
3. Press function set button.

But I could not set my white balance with those steps.

Canon has posted a manual for this camera on their website if you do not have one.

Hope this helps. I would be interested if the manual directions work for you.

 

[WetEar]

It sounds like spending some quality time with the manual might be a good idea. Personally, I find it easiest to program the print button to be the white-balance button. Then all you need to do is point the camera at something white, and press (hold down for a moment, don't just quickly tap) the print button.

What's really fun is to point the camera at something that's not white & press the print button. Then you can watch everything go green or yellow or other crazy colours.

 

[TEERLKAY]

note - on the a710 underwater case there is no corresponding button on the case for print - probably comes as an option with the underwater printer that i declined to purchase

function
toggle up/down to white balance
toggle left/right to manual white balance
point at something white and press MENU (repeat MENU)

 

[Bubbletrubble]

note - on the a710 underwater case there is no corresponding button on the case for print - probably comes as an option with the underwater printer that i declined to purchase

@TEERLKAY: To clarify, the OP asked about the Canon A720 which is a completely different model from the A710. You bring up a good point, though. For some of the Canon UW housings, the "print" button has been omitted. I'm sure the Canon UW case designers were thinking: "I see no reason why the user would want to use that button UW. What is he going to do -- try to print something during a dive?" Unfortunately, that "print" button is a pretty useful button to have access to when using the CHDK hack. It represents the <ALT> button and is necessary to access the CHDK menus. Without having access to that particular button UW, a diver has to setup his camera to autoload the CHDK hack upon startup. This precludes being able to switch between using CHDK and not using CHDK on the same dive.
FWIW, the Canon UW housing for the A720 (WP-DC16) does have a "print" button.

 

[cowdog77]

Great info....I appreciate all the feedback.
I'm on a "first name basis" with my WB now.
Thanks folks.